A known roof apparatus generally operates a movable panel, which is arranged at an opening portion of a roof panel for a vehicle, in opening and closing directions. The known roof apparatus disclosed, for example, in JP2005-153803A (hereinafter referred to as Reference 1) includes the movable panel arranged at the opening portion of the roof panel, a functional bracket supporting the movable panel, a guide rail extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle to be attached to the roof panel, and a belt movable along the guide rail in the longitudinal direction. The belt is driven by an electric motor so as to move in the longitudinal direction; thereby, the functional bracket is moved in the longitudinal direction in conjunction with the movement of the belt. As a result, the movable panel moves in the opening and closing directions. The opening and closing operations of the movable panel include tilt-up and slide modes. The movable panel includes front and rear end portions and a rotational axis arranged at the front end portion to extend along a width direction of the vehicle. The front end portion of the movable panel rotates about the rotational axis, thereby moving the rear end portion of the movable panel upward. As a result, the movable panel is tilted forward (a state in which the movable panel is tilted forward will be referred to as a tilted-up state). In a case where the movable panel is brought into the slide mode, the front end portion of the movable panel is moved upward from the tilted-up state and the movable panel is slid rearward.
In particular, in a state where the movable panel is in a fully closed position, front and rear shoes positioned at front and rear end portions, respectively, of the functional bracket are slidably arranged on the guide rail. The front and rear shoes are connected to the belt so as to move along the guide rail in the longitudinal direction in accordance with the movement of the belt.
A front check block is arranged between the front shoe and the functional bracket. A rear check block and a lift up/down guide are arranged between the rear shoe and the functional bracket.
The front check block is engaged with the front shoe and is restricted from moving in the longitudinal direction until the rear end portion of the functional bracket is completely moved upward. After the rear end portion of the functional bracket is completely moved upward, that is, in a state where the movable panel is in the slide mode, the front check block integrally slides with the front shoe, thereby allowing the front end portion of the functional bracket to move in the longitudinal direction.
The rear check block is switchable between moving and stopped states. When being in the moving state, the rear check block integrally slides with the rear shoe. When being in the stopped state, the rear check block is separated from the rear shoe and the sliding movement is stopped. The lift up/down guide functions to support the rear check block so that the rear check block rotates. In addition, the lift up/down guide functions to lift the rear end portion of the functional bracket up and down in accordance with the rotation of the rear check block.
According to the roof apparatus configured as described above, the belt is moved by the electric motor in the longitudinal direction, thereby moving the front and rear shoes in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the front and rear check blocks and the lift up/down guide function in accordance with the movements of the front and rear check blocks as described above. As a result, the tilt-up and slide modes of the movable panel are performed.
In addition, according to the roof apparatus disclosed in Reference 1, the front and rear shoes are both connected to the belt; therefore, the front and rear shoes are positioned at lower sides of the respective front and rear end portions of the movable panel in a state where the movable panel is in a fully opened position.
In the roof apparatus disclosed in Reference 1, the front and rear shoes arranged at the respective front and rear end portions of the movable panel are necessary for the movable panel to move in the opening and closing directions. Therefore, the guide rail requires a length in the longitudinal direction so as to extend at least from a longitudinal position corresponding to the front end portion of the movable panel being in the fully closed position, to a longitudinal position corresponding to the rear end portion of the movable panel being in the fully opened position. As a result, in a case where an internal space of the vehicle, particularly, a space right below the roof panel is intended to be effectively utilized, minimization of a length of the guide rail in the longitudinal direction may be limited.
A need thus exists for a roof apparatus which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.